Tanker to arrive in Vizag today after Iran release

Vessel will be received by port authorities and officials of SCI at 7 am

Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)’s vessel, the Desh Shanti, that was detained in Iran for 26 days would arrive in Visakhapatnam port on Wednesday. The ship was released by Iran on September 7.

The vessel would be received by the port authorities and the officials of SCI on Wednesday at 7 am.

The SCI vessel is carrying 140,000 tonnes of crude oil for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation. The cargo was loaded on the ship at Basrah, Iraq. While Iran had detained the Indian vessel on the pretext of environmental damage, SCI did not have to pay anything for the release of its ship. “I am going to welcome the vessel, master and her crew home,” said Sunil Thapar, director (bulk and tanker division), SCI.

The company has suffered losses due to 26 days of standing charges and loss of earning potential. The company, did not reveal the quantum of hit taken on account of this detention.  

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards had detained the Indian vessel for allegedly causing pollution on August 13. MT Desh Shanti is a 10-year-old tanker.

India had considerably brought down its crude purchases from Iran following the sanctions. The cargo, if at all, was being brought in Iranian vessels.

Iranian vessels had been given blanket permission to sail in Indian waters after the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Nations on Iranian crude imports made it nearly impossible for Indian vessels to get protection and indemnity cover.

India had considerably brought down its crude purchases from Iran following the sanctions. The cargo, if at all, was being brought in Iranian vessels.

India relies on imports for 80 percent of its crude consumption, and 60 percent of its supplies come from Gulf countries.